The picturesque landscapes of Three Waters Reserve are breathtaking, and we believe that your appreciation of this special place will only be enhanced by discovering its rich history. From the first settlements to the button boom, to a hot spot of recreation and leisure, time has brought this place back to its original glory of oak savanna, prairie and wetlands.
THE FIRST PEOPLE
A rich archaeological record tells us that human cultures had occupied the valley and southern Wisconsin region for millennia since the last glacial episode nearly 12,000 years ago. This extraordinary human history is an integral part of the Three Waters Reserve story. At the time of European settlement, the Sugar River Valley and land now occupied by Three Waters Reserve was the home of the Ho-Chunk.
The recent history of the Reserve is most visibly linked to the settlement of the nearby City of Brodhead during the mid-nineteenth century. Construction of a dam and mill race on the Sugar River provided power to a small hydroelectric operation which brought electricity to the City. The dam created Decatur Lake which borders the Reserve.
THE BUTTON BOOM
By 1857, a railroad was built connecting Brodhead to the industrial Midwest, thus helping the city grow as a commercial hub. A brief freshwater pearl rush at the turn of the twentieth century made the Sugar River world-famous and supported a short-lived button industry that capitalized on the abundant freshwater mussel shell resource. Over time, agriculture grew to become the dominant industry in the valley and region.
THE PUTNAM LEGACY
In 1905, Henry C. Putnam, a local lumber baron, purchased 71 acres of property on the Sugar River and Decatur Lake that would one day become The Reserve. Upon Putnam’s death, his nephew Matt purchased the property, eventually selling most of it to build the Decatur Lake Golf Course. Matt retained 14 acres which his daughter Alice inherited and later passed down to her children, Ted and Mary Odell.
THE DECATUR LAKE GOLF COURSE
Since 1926, the Decatur Lake Golf Course has been a beloved spot on the Sugar River for its spectacular river bluff scenery, grand oak trees, and picturesque rolling hills. By 1992, the golf course had expanded to include an additional 90 acres. In the early decades of the twenty-first century, the golfing industry was moving away from traditional public courses as the golfing public shifted its interest to a different sort of golfing experience. As the cost of maintenance grew and membership dwindled, golf courses began to shut down in many parts of the country.
RESTORING THE LAND
In 2017, the Decatur Lake Golf Course was put on the market. In 2018, a group of philanthropic donors with an interest in conservation purchased the land. The goal of the new owner, Southern Wisconsin Land Conservancy, was to restore the natural oak savanna, prairie and wetland landscapes of the river valley to continue to bring natural beauty and pleasure to all citizens as public open space and as a place to gather, celebrate, and learn about restoring ecosystems and healthy watersheds.
Since purchasing the property, SWLC has developed growing partnerships with other groups and entrepreneurs to expand programming at The Reserve to include science and education and a farm-to-table enterprise with local regenerative farmers and chefs.
